Welcome to March when the season of Spring officially begins, and Daylight Savings commences at the end of month. Almost all this month will be the season of Lent, when we Christians have traditionally given up things that give us pleasure to focus on our spiritual journey.Lent is the period of forty days before Easter which began on Ash Wednesday, on which we also celebrated Valentines Day this year. We marked our foreheads in ash from burnt palm crosses and olive oil to recognise that we came from dust and to dust we return. By observing 40 days of Lent, we copy Jesus’ sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert at the start of his ministry.Lent is a significant season for Christians – often a time self-reflection and withdrawing from various habits, treats and activities, after which we emerge with Joy at the Easter celebration. It is a movement from one space to the other, a movement in being transformed from one interpretation of life to another. It is like the new shoots of spring bulbs pushing through the earth to reveal colour and shape that has been missing for a season.Our culture screams at us from the lifestyle sections that the way to real fulfilment is getting what you really desire. The idea that giving something up might be good for you, other than as a grudging acknowledgement of post-Christmas weight gain, is anathema. Consumerism works by creating desire and then offering to fulfil it, the sooner the better. But our strongest desires are not necessarily our deepest ones. Giving things up or fasting can get us in touch with these deeper desires that only God can satisfy. There is evidence that restricting calories by intermittent fasting or turning our mobiles off is actually good for us physically and psychologically. Giving something up can create the space to discover more about ourselves and sometimes the truth we would rather ignore. Life is to be lived with God and by creating space we allow ourselves the opportunity to discover more of Him everyday. This period of self-denial heightens our awareness and we discover that there is a joy that is enhanced by the waiting. So, as well as helping us grow closer to God, our Lenten restraint can amplify the joy of Christ risen when we get to that glorious Easter celebration.
There are many things to commend about getting in the car and taking a break somewhere in our wonderful British Isles, but being stuck in traffic on the motorway is not one of them! I’m sure you all have stories of sitting in jams, sandwiched between lorries for what seems like hours with ‘roadworks ahead’ signs all around and miles and miles of cones. And when you finally reach the roadworks the site seems deserted with no sign of active construction going on at all - diggers seemingly abandoned, and no sign of life! Apologies to all construction workers reading at this point, I do understand that you need time off too!).On a recent trip we got caught up in roadworks and a sign caught my eye. It read ‘We are working out of sight, so you may not see us’. I wondered if this had been created in response to all those grumbles from the general public about just such experiences. Construction work on motorways is incredibly complex. What we see and experience once the work is completed in the new intersections, widened motorways, new bridges etc. is the result of the keen minds and skills of a myriad of people from all sorts of disciplines from planners to architects, from civil engineers to groundworkers, often working out of sight, always working to a masterplan but all we experience is the upheaval as change takes place- and all this takes time. Change often causes upheaval, always takes time, but may bring with it significant benefits. My experience of seeing God at work, is sometimes not dissimilar to my experience of motorway roadworks. Life can be hugely frustrating. We try to find a way through the obstacles that get in the way of what we want to do or where we want to be, or we get ‘stuck in traffic’ in a rut that we can’t see a way out of. Perhaps we look around for those who can help us, and we see no-one.But God is working, often working hardest, in the most difficult and challenging times we encounter. God may be working out of sight, and you may not see him, but he is there, patiently waiting for each one of us to accept that changing our ways, turning towards him and asking to be part of his masterplan is the only way to bring about the change that leads to life in all its fulness.So as we head towards lent there may be road works ahead, or even life works ahead, let’s not get caught up and frustrated in the waiting, but maybe strain to see if we can see God working ‘out of sight’.
I wonder if you’ve ever had a moment were you’ve just watched the news or read the paper and seen what’s going on in the Middle East or somewhere else in the world and felt the absence of anything hopeful. The sense that things are going to improve and get better. I think we all as humans have that underlying need to have hope.If you search for songs with a theme of Hope within them the list is a little longer than you might expect. So, it seems to be something that a lot of us need. Emelie Sandé sings ‘I just hope I'm not the only one’, Jack Jackson sings ‘you better hope you’re not alone’.It’s said that antidote to any despair might be hope, experts say. It’s one of the most powerful—and essential—human mindsets, and possible to achieve even when it feels out of reach. “Hope is a way of thinking,” says Chan Hellman, a psychologist who’s the founding director of the Hope Research Center at the University of Oklahoma. “We know it can be taught; we know it can be nurtured. It’s not something you either have or don’t have.”As we begin our journey through Advent this year with the prospect of Christmas fast approaching. I wonder if we need to be reminded that the hope that God, our Heavenly Father offers us, is much more robust. It is rooted in the reality of all that he came in human form as a vulnerable baby to bring.As we enjoy time catching up with friends and family over the next few weeks and the Christmas period itself. Let’s take the opportunity to be thankful that we live in peace in comparison to others across the world and don’t often fear for our safety. Let’s take the opportunity to be generous with what we have. So that those in more vulnerable situations financially and otherwise might have the chance for that grounded hope to be nurtured in their situation and circumstance.Perhaps as you journey through Advent, you might join us in praying for the hope of the Christ child to stir our hearts and remind us that we are not alone. Together we can work towards making our community a more hope filled place.With Christmas blessingsKatie
As we enter November and the season of Remembrance, our hearts are heavy with the conflicts and struggles that we see across the world, displayed on our news channels. It prompts us to reflect on the sacrifices made by countless individuals in the past and to hold onto the hope they held for a more peaceful and just future.The act of remembrance itself is a powerful and enduring tradition that binds us together as a community. It reminds us of the bravery and selflessness of those who have served and continue to serve in the armed forces, often in far-off and dangerous lands. We honour their dedication to preserving peace and safeguarding our freedoms, and we recognize the hardships they endure. We will hold remembrance gatherings across our area both on Armistice and Remembrance Sunday itself.Remembrance is not just about the past; it's also about the present and the future. In our prayers and reflections, we consider the men, women and children whose lives are shaped by war, whether as victims, displaced people, humanitarian workers or armed forces. Their sacrifices, their physical and emotional burdens, and the toll that war takes on them and their families weigh heavily on our hearts.In these times of uncertainty and conflict, it is essential for us to maintain hope. Hope for an end to violence and division, hope for the safe return of those who are far from home, and hope for the healing of wounds, both seen and unseen. Hope for a world where the lessons of the past guide us towards lasting peace. As people of faith, we know that hope is embedded in God, who sees all and is with us in disaster. Who gives us a hope for a future with Him, both now throughout life but also beyond the grave and death itself. Hope that there is more and God who loves us will welcome us home. Hope is not a passive act but an active one. We are called to work towards peace, justice, and reconciliation in our own lives and within our community. In our town, villages and as individuals, let us be bearers of hope. Let us reach out to one another, especially those who may be struggling with the weight of current conflicts, offering comfort, support, and a listening ear, perhaps saying a prayer for God’s peace to be known. In doing so, we can help kindle the light of hope in the darkest of times.Together, we can be beacons of light and a source of inspiration for a world in need of peace.May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15.13
